According to a survey conducted among Devcom speakers, 89% think that AAA games do not require extra purchases

During the commencement of the Devcom developer conference in Cologne, insights from a recent speaker survey were disclosed. The survey revealed that nearly 90% of participants believe that AAA games can thrive financially without the necessity of add-on purchases.

Among the 100 speakers surveyed, who are part of the 300 industry leaders set to present, 89% asserted that AAA games could be successful under a "Buy-to-Play" model without requiring additional purchases.

For years, the AAA gaming industry has faced extensive debate regarding in-game purchases, which include loot boxes exemplified by EA's Ultimate Team modes, along with battle passes, season passes, and advancement aids like XP boosts and resource packs.

Regarding pricing models, 65% expressed support for the premium approach for both digital and physical formats. This was significantly higher compared to the 10% favoring community-funded games, with only one individual supporting ad-based free-to-play games.

Concerning the application of AI in game development, 31% recommended minimal usage, while 21% suggested AI could improve coding and production processes, and 18% saw potential in marketing and communication support.

Less than 10% endorsed AI for art and animation, under 5% saw AI benefiting narrative design, and one speaker anticipated AI would fully take over translation and localisation tasks in two years.

The survey also highlighted challenges such as market saturation, noted by 55% of respondents, and rising development expenses, identified by 46% as major hurdles.

Lastly, 57% of those surveyed expect the trend of industry layoffs to persist in the coming year, with almost half predicting an increase in the rate of job reductions. Only a small contingent of five people anticipated a decrease in layoffs and a boost in recruitment efforts.